Abstract
Despite the cutback of the use of antifouling paints containing tributyltin (TBT), harbour sediments are still “hot spots” for organotin pollution, which is one of the most toxic substances for aquatic organisms. Harbours have to be freed constantly of suspended sediments, to guarantee unhindered shipping. The deposition of these TBT contaminated sediments on rinsing fields is supposed to comprise a minimisation of the risk potential for humans and environment. To investigate if TBT contaminated sediment might present a hazard to the existing soil fauna, a risk assessment with earthworms was performed. The original TBT contaminated sediment induced 94% mortality, compared to 2% in the uncontaminated standard Lufa soil. It was assumed that the high salinity (23 dS/m) was the reason for the mortality rather than the TBT concentration of 600 μg/kg soil (dry weight). To reduce the soil salinity, the TBT substrate was first washed with deionised water and then mixed with the uncontaminated artificial OECD soil (=TBTmix), which resulted, however, in a lower TBT concentration (132 μg/kg soil dw.). The uncontaminated OECD reference soil resulted in high earthworm mortality (34%). Despite the reduced salinity (10 dS/m) and lower TBT concentration, the TBTmix substrate induced high mortality rates (42%), reduced reproduction (17% compared to the control) and resulted in a significant substrate avoidance of 92%. Consequently, the landfilling of the TBT contaminated harbour sludge might (i) present a hazard to the existing soil fauna at the rinsing fields due to high salinity and the TBT contamination, and (ii) a quick recolonisation of the contaminated substrate by earthworms can not be expected.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Addison, J.A.: 2002, Derivation of Matrix Soil Standards for Salt under the British Columbia Contaminated Sites Regulation Addendum C: Soil Invertebrate Toxicity Tests: Lessons and Recommendations, Report to the British Columbia Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, Ministry of Transportation and Highways, British Columbia Buildings Corporation, and the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, Applied Research Division, Royal Roads University, Victoria, British Columbia.
Barnes, R. D., Bull, A. T. and Poller, R. C.: 1973, ‘Studies on the persistence of the organotin fungicide fentin acetate (triphenyltin acetate) in the soil and surfaces exposed to light’, Pesticide Science 4, 305–317.
Barug, D. and Vonk, J. W.: 1980, ‘Studies on the degradation of bis(tributyltin) oxide in soil’, Pesticide Science 11, 77–82.
Barug, D.: 1981, ‘Microbial degradation of bis(tributyltin) oxide’, Chemosphere 10(10), 1145–1154.
Bettin, C., Oehlmann, J. and Stroben, E.: 1996, ‘TBT-induced imposex in marine neogastropods is mediated by an increasing androgen level’, Helgol. Meeresunters. 50, 299–317.
Blume, H.-P.: 1992, Handbuch des Bodenschutzes — BodenÖkologie und — belastung Vorbeugende und abwehrende Schutzmaßnahmen, Ecomed, Landsberg/Lech.
Brandsch, R.: 2001, Risikobewertung für eine Landablagerung von Tributylzinn-kontaminierten Hafensediment: Struktur-Wirkungsbetrachtungen und Mechanismen des biologischen Abbaus, Ph.D. thesis, Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Centre for Environmental Research and Technology (UFT), University of Bremen.
Callaham, Jr. M. A., Stewart, A. J., Alarcón, C. and McMillen, S. J.: 2002, ‘Effects of earthworms (Eisenia fetida) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) straw additions on selected properties of petroleum-contaminated soils’, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 21(8), 1658–1663.
FAO: 1995, ‘Soil classification-multilingual soil database’, World Soil Resources Report No. 81, FAO, Rome.
Fent, K. and Müller, M. D.: 1991, ‘Occurences of organotins in municipal waste waters and sewage sludge and behaviour in a treatment plant’, Environ. Sci. Technol. 25, 489–493.
Fent, K.: 1998, Ökotoxikologie. Umweltchemie, Toxikologie, Ökologie, Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart.
Hund-Rinke, K. and Wiechering, H., 2001, ‘Earthworm avoidance test for soil assessment’, Journal of Soils and Sediments 1, 15–20.
Hund-Rinke, K., Achazi, R., Römbke, J. and Warnecke, D., 2003, ‘Avoidance test with Eisenia fetida as indicator for the habitat function of soils: Results of a laboratory comparison test’, Journal of Soils and Sediments 3(1), 7–12.
ISO International Standard 11268-1: 1993, ‘Soil quality — Effects of pollutants on earthworms (Eisenia fetida) — Part 1: Determination of acute toxicity using artificial soil substrate’, International Organization for Standardization, Geneva.
ISO International Standard 11268-2: 1998, ‘Soil quality — Effects of pollutants on earthworms (Eisenia fetida) — Part 2: Determination of effects on reproduction’, International Organization for Standardization, Geneva.
Kaiser, T., W. Schwarz Frost, M.: 1998, Einträge von Stoffen in Böden — eine Abschätzung des Gefärdungspotentials, Logos Verlag. Berlin.
Kotuby-Amacher, J., Koenig, R. and Kitchen, B.: 1997, Salinity and Plant Tolerance, Utah State University Extension, Electronic Publishing, Ag-SO-03.
Kula, C.: (1998): ‘Endpoints in laboratory testing with earthworms: Experience with regard to regulatory decisions for plant protection products’, in C. S. Sheppard et al. (eds) Advances in Earthworm Ecotoxicology, Setac Press, Pensacola, USA, pp. 67–81.
Maguire, R. J.: 2000, ‘Review of the persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity of tributyltin in aquatic environments in relation to Canada’s toxic substances management policy’, Water Quality Research Journal Canada, 35(4), 633–679.
Neuhauser, E. F., Kaplan, D. L. and Hartenstein, R.: 1979, ‘Life history of the earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae’, Rev. Ecol. Biol. Sol. 16, 525–534.
OECD: 1984, Guideline for testing chemicals no. 207. Earthworm acute toxicity test, Adopted 4 April, 1984. OECD, Paris.
Oehlmann, J. and Schulte-Oehlmann, U.: 2003, ‘Endocrine disruption in invertebrates’, Pure Appl. Chem. 75, 2207–2218.
Ranke, J.: 2001, ‘Ecotoxicological risk profiles of chemicals — concept and application to antifouling biocides’, Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Center for Environmental Research and Technology (UFT), University of Bremen, dissertation de-Verlag im Internet GmbH, Berlin.
Robidoux, P. Y. and Delisle, C. E.: 2001, ‘Ecotoxicological evaluation of three deicers (NaCl, NaFo, CMA) — Effect on terrestrial organisms’, Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 48, 128–139.
Saterbak, A., Toy, R. J., Wong, D. C. L., McMain, B. J., Williams, M. P., Dorn, P. B., Brzuzy, L. P., Chai, E. Y. and Salanitro, J. P.: 1999, ‘Ecotoxicological and analytical assessment of hydrocarbon-contaminated soils and application to ecotoxicological risk assessment’, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 18(7), 1591–1607.
Schaefer, M.: 2003, ‘Behavioural endpoints in earthworm ecotoxicology — Evaluation of different test systems in soil toxicity assessment’, Journal of Soil and Sediments, 3(2), 79–84.
Scott-Fordsmand, J. J., Stevens, D. P. and McLaughlin, M. J.: 2002, ‘The combined stress of soil salinity and zinc on Eisenia fetida’, SETAC Europe 12th Annual Meeting, Vienna/Austria, pp. 226.
Stephenson, G., Kaushik, A., Kaushik, N. K., Solomon, K. R., Steele, T. and Scoggins, R. P.: 1998, ‘Use of an avoidance-response test to assess the toxicity of contaminated soils to earthworms’, in S.C. Sheppard, J. Bembridge, M. Holmstrup and L. Posthuma (eds), Advances in earthworm ecotoxicology, Setac Press, Pensacola, USA, pp. 67–81.
TA Abfall: 1991, ‘Zweite allgemeine Verwaltungsvorschrift zum Abfallgesetz. Teil 1: Technische Anleitung zur Lagerung, chemisch/physikalischen, biologischen Behandlung, Verbrennung und Ablagerung von besonders überwachungsbedürftigen Abfällen’, Be. des BMU vom 12.März 1991 (GMBl. I S. 139, ber. S. 467). (WA II 5-30121-1/18). 4.2. Vermischungsverbot.
Takahashi, S., Shinomiya, M., Muraoka, S., Mukai, H., Tanabe, S., Hata, J., Yamada, T., Sakayama, K., Miyazaki, R. and Masuno, H.: 2000, ‘Butyltin accumulation in humans and terrestrial higher animals and its possible sources’, 3rd SETAC World Congress, Brighton, UK, pp. 205.
Terytze, K., Nestler, A., Ricking, M. and Schulze, T.: 2000, Forschungsvorhaben: “Konkretisierung fachlicher Grundlagen für Vorsorgeaspekte im betrieblichen Bodenschutz hinsichtlich tolerierbarer Einträge” (AZ 14066) — Literaturstudie “Einfluss von Bodenparametern auf die mikrobielle Aktivität und den Abbau organischer Schadstoffe in Bóden”, Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt, Berlin.
Topp, W.: 1981, Biologie der Bodenorganismen, Quelle & Meyer-Verlag, Heidelberg.
USDA: 1954, Soil Survey Reports. Washington. (Docs) A57.38: Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists, Washington: The Association. (Ref) S587 As78o 1998.
U.S. EPA — United States Environmental Protection Agency: 2002, Ambient Aquatic Life Water Quality Criteria For Tributyltin (TBT) — Draft, Office of Water 4304T, EPA-822-B-02-001.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Schaefer, M. The Landfill of TBT Contaminated Harbour Sludge on Rinsing Fields—a Hazard for the Soil Fauna? Risk Assessment with Earthworms. Water Air Soil Pollut 165, 265–278 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-005-6773-2
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-005-6773-2